You are currently browsing the archives for April, 2010
Combining high-end glamour with practicality, these slacks will be a work wardrobe essential next fall. In fact, one of the CC founders just picked some up from Sammy Davis Vintage (naturally) for herself and is currently looking for the perfect duds before donning them. They project a smart effortlessness despite the fact that the drape makes the search for The Perfect Pair a bit difficult. It’s all worth it in the end… look at how eye-catching they are! The Marc by Marc Jacobs look typifies the overall style: slightly drapy (never baggy) slacks cinched with the a belt and pulled together with a lace-up bootie.
Whether you like the skinny version (a la Milly by Michelle Smith) or the harem pant-inspired fuller leg, the cropped, high-waisted pant can do wonders for concealing hips and accentuating waists, kind of like A-line skirts. The trick is to find the pair that works with your body. The classic looking ones from Ralph Lauren are CC favorites.
The runway looks you see below are just for inspiration as they’re out of the CC girl’s budget. Don’t fret! Fantastic, cheaper options do exist and here’s where you can look:
Top Shop, $70: I love the gold button accents on these! They’d look darling with a striped blouse and golden anchor necklace.
Hanii Y, $71: on SALE! These basic black slacks are the ideal segue into the looser cut.
BR Monogram, $98: For those of you who are weary of trying the trend, you know it’s O.K. to wear to work when BR Mono has a pair!
Oh, and did I mention how perfect they are for office attire? With some flats, you’ll be sleek, comfy and sophisticated 
Marc by Marc Jacobs / Photo Credit: nymag.com
Milly by Michelle Smith / Photo Credit: nymag.com
Oscar de la Renta / Photo Credit: nymag.com
Ralph Lauren / Photo Credit: nymag.com
Ralph Lauren / Photo Credit: nymag.com
Want to know the most important must-have spring/summer item in NYC? Rain boots! If this summer is even close to being a repeat of 2009, then it’s going to rain all June and July, and wellies will need to be worn nearly every day.
Here at Cubicle Chic, we choose to have fun with our rainy day attire. Both of us wear patterned rain boots that have, on several occasions, elicited pleasing commentary from passersby. Their subtle silliness adds a little color to those dreary, wet days.
One cannot look at rain boots without considering Hunter. You wouldn’t know it from walking the streets on New York, but the company actually offers its original style in a rainbow of boot colors.
Photo Credit: Neon Bible
Photo Credit: Jildor Shoes
Photo Credit: Target Wholesale
However, if you aren’t feeling the $115 price tag, where else can you look?
Target has an excellent collection of fun rain boots at affordable prices. I like the one below with the little, red birdie for $24.99:
Photo Credit: Target.com
*****
Another great place to shop for boots (and shoes) is endless.com. Here is one interesting option from DAV I found for $89.95:
Image Credit: duvetbright.info
Check out the awesome lace-up in the back!
*****
Another endless.com pick is this Sperry Top-Sider boot for $58.33:
Image Credit: Shoebuy.com
I love the burgundy - the royal hue reinforces the boot’s sturdy look.
*****
And now for some stripes and buckles with a pair of Chooka rain boots from DSW for $39.95:
Image Credit: Piperlime.com
In case you aren’t ready to add color to your rainy day commuting shoes, these boots are still fun while remaining understated.
*****
I’m loving the caramel color of these boots from Kamik for $59.95:
Photo Credit: Shopping.com
You don’t see this color as an option very often, and doesn’t it actually look like caramel? Mmmm mmmm good.
*****
LOBSTER BOOTS:
Image Credit: DLL Rainwear
For $49.95, they are adorable, right? These will bring a smile to anyone’s face! In my opinion, when you’re a Mainer, lobsters look good on anything
Finally, I leave you with a site that I came across during my search that is pretty good for browsing. It’s called DLL Rainwear. The site is just for boots, rain jackets and umbrellas, so you don’t have to sift through heels, sandals or any other clothing that has nothing to do with staying dry. They even have frog rain boots for adults!
Happy Stomping!
Photo Credit: Found here.
The skirt that complements all figures! Ladies, isn’t it nice to know that there is at least one skirt out there that will look smashing on everyone? The A-line skirt! It sits comfortably on the hips and then subtly flares out so that it’s not hugging anything that doesn’t want to be hugged. With a cute pair of flats or heels, this type of skirt is a success in both professional and casual environments. The A-line simply makes every girl look cute!
This particular skirt is fun for me since it is (GASP!) patterned. Under some friendly guidance, I was convinced to step out of my solids-only comfort zone and try what at the time felt like a bold pattern. Well, the venture worked, and now I’m a supporter of breaking out of the pencil skirt uniform once in a while and swapping it with a little patterned flair.
Remember this H&M blazer from last week and how I said that I couldn’t get enough of it? Well, voila! Outfit #2 where the blazer just makes it all come together. Because they were purchased separately, I was very pleased to discover that they went together so well. Besides their excellent color coordination, a fitted blazer is a good choice to complement an a-line skirt because it offsets the skirt’s billowy shape by creating a more structured look on the top half of your body. That’s the general rule: one part loose + one part fitted = one great outfit!
You may have noticed … Lindsay and I love to accent an outfit with colorful shoes! These are some Nine West gems picked up on sale when their 59th Street location was going out of business (recession, ugh). They are pointy (yessssss), faux snakeskin (YESSSSS) and green (YESS!!!!). Oh, and did I mention that they are insanely comfortable? They are like Cole Hann Nike Air comfortable, but for a fraction of the price. Any other suggestions on where to find incredibly comfortable heels?
Meredith’s Look:
Shoes: Nine West ($25)
Skirt: Gap ($35)
Shirt: Gap ($25)
Blazer: H&M ($20)
I leave you with some spring blossoms…
As I was looking through my closet in preparation for my summer job, I noticed a surprising lack of good dress shirts. Indeed, I really had only two or three shirts of high enough quality for professional wear. Perhaps it’s the upcoming British elections (for the record, the Gentleman would vote Tory) that has caused me to think about London lately, but my thoughts immediately wandered to Jermyn Street and that London institution’s legendary dress shirts.
Photo Credit: Eurovac 09
For decades, Jermyn Street has been the place to find a perfectly tailored shirt in London. More than just a place to shop, shirtmakers with a Jermyn Street address are considered to have reached the pinnacle of their craft. It is no surprise then that Jermyn Street has outfitted such iconic Brits as Winston Churchill and James Bond. With this illustrious legacy, one would think that the shirtmakers would charge prices so exorbitant that only gentlemen with checking accounts to rival those of Mssrs. Churchill and Bond would be able to afford them. Not so! Buying shirts from Jermyn St. is both more affordable and of an astronomically higher quality than buying shirts from “typical” stores in the mall, and no plane ticket across the pond is required. The power of the Internet has brought Jermyn St. to us!
First off, some preliminary information: British shirts are very different in style than American dress shirts. The most notable difference is the collar. Typical American shirt collars are either point collars or button-down collars. In contrast, British shirts feature spread collars. Collar style is a personal preference and certain collars go better with certain face types (to be discussed in the future). A British spread collar shirt also goes better with thicker, wider ties since there is a lot more room for a larger tie knot, while American point or button-down collar shirts match better with thinner, slimmer ties. British shirtmakers also favor more vibrant colors and patterns, especially stripes and checks in pastel colors. The combination of the wide-spread collar and the brightly colored patterns lead to a very aggressive looking shirt that is often favored by men in banking and management positions on either side of the Atlantic.
American Point Collar
Photo Credit: Dann-Online
British Spread Collar
Photo Credit: Dann-Online
The key to getting a great deal on a Jermyn Street shirt is knowing which shirtmaker to buy from and buying several shirts at a time. Some shirtmakers, like Turnbull & Asser and Thomas Pink, are quite expensive and outside of this Gentleman’s budget. However, there are three classic Jermyn Street shirtmakers that provide shirts at excellent prices: Charles Tyrwhitt, T.M. Lewin and Harvie and Hudson. Of those three, Harvie and Hudson is a bit more pricey but has the best reputation. The way to go for each of these stores is to buy their bulk deals. Both Charles Tyrwhitt and T.M. Lewin offer any four shirts for 100 £. I sprang for two shirts from Harvie and Hudson and my roommate picked up a third to round out the deal. After shipping and currency conversion, each shirt came out to $55, lower than the price of dress shirts at mall retailers like Banana Republic and J. Crew.
For my first Harvie and Hudson purchase, I chose a pink button cuffed shirt and blue French cuffed (the Brits called these Turn Back cuffs) shirt with a contrasting white collar. Both shirts have a spread collar and fierce coloring, typifying the British look. Below you can see these shirts when paired with ties, also from Jermyn Street, to complete the look. The weight of the fabric is exceptional and after one wash, the shirts seem quite sturdy. This is is stark contrast to the dress shirts that I have from stores like H&M that feature thin cotton that have not held up well.
All in all, I’m very happy with my first Jermyn St. purchase and would highly recommend considering shopping British for any gentleman looking to expand his dress shirt collection at a reasonable price.
Next time: The Gentleman will consider a rainbow of polo shirts. See you then!
Who doesn’t love New York in the spring? It’s so gorgeous, I can’t stand it. Unfortunately, New York isn’t a town-for-all-seasons. It’s f-f-f-freezing in the winter and hot and sticky (…and stinky) in the summer. In fact, there are approximately two to four weeks of “perfect weather” in this city each year and this week happens to be one of them. This dress, on the other hand, is a year-round beauty. With black nylons and a chunky-knit black sweater (or “blush” colored sweater, to match the dots) it’s perfect for chilly autumn and winter days. The sleeve ruffles make it a touch too casual for the office, so I always pair it with this white grandpa-style cardigan… perfect for spring and summer.
My Lulu Guinness booties are quite possibly the most comfortable and most complimented shoes I own. I’ve worn them so much, I’m afraid of wearing them out! I need to bring them to a good, cheap cobbler… stay tuned for a recommendation
The ruffle detail is so pretty and feminine, don’t you think?
This would be a perfect day-to-night cocktail dress, just slip the cardigan off and add tons of bangles (not shown here, I’m still working on my collection!) – perhaps a necklace - and you’ll be ready to hit the town in no time.
TAXI!
Lindsay’s Look
Black polka dot dress: Urban Outfitters, $65
Cardigan: BCBG Max Azria Outlet, $30
Black booties: Lulu Guinness, $350 (but they were a gift from working a Huminska fashion show)
Earrings: Courtesy of Meredith
« Older Entries
